Centralizer and method of attaching



April 29, 1952 F. M. GIST 2,594,551

CENTRALIZER AND METHOD ,OF a'mcams Filed March 15, 1950 FIG. I

INVENTOR.

FRED MensT Patented Apr. 29, 1952 CENTR-ALIZER AND METHOD OF ATTACHINGFred Morgan Gist, Monahans, Tex.

Application March 15, 1950, Serial No. 149,686

2 Claims.

This invention relates to centralizers for pipe used in the bores of oiland other wells and includes novel features for securing suchcentralizers to the well pipes and insulating them from damagingelectrical forces encountered underground.

The invention will be understood from the following description togetherwith the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. I is an elevation of a section of a well pipe with my centralizerassembled thereon.

Fig. II is a section along line 22 of Fig. I.

Fig. III is an enlarged section in perspective of well pipe,centralizer, and retaining band.

Proceeding now with the description, like references depict similarparts in the several views wherein 5 is a well pipe having rigidcentralizers 6 whose bases I are composed of a distortable insulatingmaterial, spaced about its periphery. The ends of the centralizers havereduced end sections 8 and sections 9 which are substantially parallelwith their bases 1. Projecting outwardly from the bases 1 of thecentralizers beyond sections 8 and 9 are pins Ill engaging bands llcomprised of spring steel or other such strong material and havinginwardly turned ends l2 to form eyes l3 which may be brought intoregistry to receive the tapered lock pins 14-44. Bands l l havepreferably elongated slots l5 for movably receiving pins l when the bandH is assembled about the centralizers and the well pipe. Band II isfaced with distortable insulating material l6 which is preferably,although not necessarily of thicker section between the slots l as isclearly shown in Figs. II and III. Tapered lock pins I4I4, shown also inexploded position lI--l'l, Fig. I, have serrated mating faces l8 andsubstantially parallel bases IS. The distortable insulating material 1and [B may be a rubber compound of resilient material having highdielectric strength which may be bonded to the centralizers 6 and thebands II by vulcanization.

The operation is as follows:

Centralizers 6 having been suitably formed and the distortable resilientdielectric material having been bonded thereto and forming their basesand pins l0 having been erected thereon; and bands ll having beensuitably formed and faced with distortable, resilient dielectricmaterial, the assembling operation proceeds. A centralizer is broughtinto place on the pipe, slot IS in the band is passed over pin and so onuntil the desired number of centralizers are thus engaged about the pipewhereupon the eyed ends l3 of the bands are brought into registry andtapered lock pins I! are snugly engaged therein. Another band issimilarly assembled around the opposite ends of the centralizers andover pins in thereon, and the lock pins assembled as before. The lockpins are now driven toward each other in the respective eyes and astheir tapered mating faces progressively engage the bands are broughtmore tautly about the centralizers distorting the resilient materialboth on the bases 1 of the centralizers and the faces l6 of the bands.The serrated faces of the lock pins ll engage each other to resistmovement in the opposite direction. The distorted resilient materialcontinuously seeks to return to its original undistorted positions andthus maintains the assembly in a secure position about the pipe whichmay now be introduced into the well bore and manipulated as desired inany cementing or similar operation.

Elongated openings I5 permit of ready conformity of the parts toposition in the assembly, and if desired the pins It) may be distortedafter assembly as by a suitable hammer blow to prevent undesired oraccidental disassembly while bringing the parts together.

I have shown my centralizer-s as being formed of rigid material althothey may be of spring steel sections curved away from the pipe at theirmid-section, such as are shown in my co-pending application Serial No.149,687, filed March 15, 1950.

The shape of my locking pins ['5 permits of the engagement of theirbases [9 with the full area of the eyes l3 of the bands, altho a cam orother action might also be employed to bring the bands tautly about theassembly. It will be noted that by turning the ends of the bandsinwardly in forming eyes l3 they are secured against displacementbetween the body of the band and the pipe.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe centralizer comprising a plurality of rigid members annularlyspaced and longitudinally disposed on the pipe, said members havingbases of resilient dielectric material and having reduced end portionswith extending pins, a pair of retaining bands faced with resilientdielectric material and having openings for receiving the pins, andmeans whereby the bands are secured about the reduced ends and the pipeand tensioned by distorting the resilient material.

2. A pipe centralizer comprising a plurality of rigid members annularlyspaced and longitudi- 3 4 nally disposed on the pipe, said membershaving bases of resilient dielectric material and having REFERENCESCITED requced P with extfmdmg, P The following references are of recordin the pair of retaining bands faced with resilient difil of thispatent;

electric material and having openings for re- 5 ceiving the pins andhaving intermeshing eyes on UNITED STATES PATENTS the band ends, and apair of triangular shaped Number Name Date lock pins adapted to wedge inthe eyes of each 565,698 Sparks Aug. 11, 1896 band whereby the bands aresecured about the 1,894,519 McLaine Jan. 17, 1933 reduced ends and thepipe and tensioned by dis- 1 2,318,878 Miller May 11, 1943 torting theresilient material.

FRED MORGAN GIST.

